Help! My cordless car vacuum just died mid-clean - battery won't charge

Hey everyone, having a weird issue with my Black & Decker cordless car vacuum. Was cleaning out my truck yesterday and it just cut out halfway through. Thought the battery was dead, but when I put it on the charger, the light just blinks red instead of turning solid. Tried leaving it overnight - same thing. Anyone run into this before? It's only about 8 months old.

Oh man, I feel your pain! Had something similar with my DeWalt shop vac last year. First thing I'd try - clean the battery contacts on both the vacuum AND the charger with some isopropyl alcohol and a q-tip. Sometimes dust or gunk builds up and prevents proper connection. Also, try a different outlet just in case. If that doesn't work, might be a dead battery cell. B&D usually has decent warranty support though!

My boss would kill me if I admitted this on site lol but... I dropped my Milwaukee M18 vacuum battery in a puddle once and it did the blinking red light thing. Had to replace the whole battery pack. Could moisture have gotten in? Also - stupid question but is the charger itself getting power? Like is there a light on the charger unit? Sometimes those wall warts die.

Yo, apprentice here - we use Ridgid vacuums on jobsites and see this sometimes. Our foreman says blinking red usually means the battery's too hot or too cold to charge. Let it sit at room temp for a few hours then try again. Also, try charging without the battery IN the vacuum? Sometimes the tool itself can cause issues. If none of that works, might be time for a new battery unfortunately.

Good points from both of you! Carl's moisture theory is solid - car vacuums live in garages and trunks where condensation happens. Steve's temp suggestion is smart too. OP - before you buy a new battery, check if B&D has a battery reset procedure. Some brands you hold the power button for 10 seconds while it's off the charger to reset the battery management system. Worth a shot!